Hello Back Bay Bunch, Happy Tuesday.

We thank you for your patience as we partook of a long weekend and gave our editor a well deserved Sunday evening off. Happy Ski Week to all who celebrate, even if the celebration is just for the lack of e-biker gangs roaming the streets like tween-age Mongols.

To our new readers—welcome! The Back Bay Buzz delivers just the right amount of news and events for locals in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. No crime, no politics, no spam—just the good stuff. We scan newspapers, blogs, social media, business journals, and Google alerts so you don’t have to.

In today’s Buzz:

• Balboa Ferry to Go Electric

• Emo Nite

• Art and Play At OCMA

— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz

100 Year Old Ferry to Go Electric

A few years back, it looked like the end of an era. In March 2023, the Beek family — stewards of the Balboa Island Ferry for more than a century — warned that California’s zero-emission mandate could sideline the beloved boats by requiring a full switch from diesel to electric by the end of 2025. For a small, family-run operation that’s been shuttling cars and passengers across that 900-foot stretch of harbor since 1919, the numbers just didn’t pencil. Locals rallied, calling the ferry more than transportation — it’s a moving postcard, a piece of Newport DNA.

Fast forward nearly three years, and the story has flipped. The Balboa Island Ferry has officially partnered with the California Air Resources Board and South Coast AQMD to electrify its entire fleet. Through state funding programs, the three diesel boats will be replaced with battery-electric vessels, complete with shoreside charging infrastructure. Translation: same iconic crossing, minus the tailpipe emissions. Owner Seymour Beek called it a transformative moment in the ferry’s 100-plus-year history — ushering in a cleaner, quieter chapter while keeping the tradition alive. The little green boats that run from 6:30 a.m. to midnight aren’t going anywhere. They’re just plugging in.

UPCOMING:

• Newport Needlepoint Club Meetup - Newport Needlepoint
  “2026 is the year for Grandma hobbies”
  Tuesdays 6-8pm
  Info

• Trivia Night - Bootlegger’s Brewery
  Tuesdays 7-9pm
  Directions

• Free Yoga Class - Seed Peoples Market
  Wednesdays @ 10am
  Info

• Baby Goat Yoga - Tanaka Farms
  Saturdays 10am (Hana Field)
  Info

• Raising Canes Grand Opening - Newport Blvd Location
  February 24th

• Intro to Mahjong - Shop Prairie (Newport)
  Thursday Feb 26th
  5:30-8pm
  Info

• Emo Nite Speed Dating - Ruin Bar (Costa Mesa)
  Thursday Feb 26th
  6:30pm-9pm
  Info

• Beach & River Cleanup in Newport Beach

  Saturday, 28 February

  9:00 am - 11:30 am
  Info

• Back Bay Cleanup and Maintenance - Upper Newport Bay
  Saturday Feb 28th
  9am-11am
  Info

• Overland Expo 2026 - OC Fairgrounds
  March 14-15, Sat 9-5, Sun 9-4
  Info

• Songs in the Canyon - Canyon Park (Costa Mesa)
  June 12-14
  Info
  
  

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH OC?

Check out our great partner newsletter:

🌊 Water temp = 62º
Suit Rec: Spring suit/Full suit 3/2

Trigger Warning: Upcoming planned protests of Raising Canes grand opening on February 24th (Newport Blvd) may use graphic imagery and simulated violence. This may cause distress in young children. Please be aware as you plan your family outings.
More Info

THIS WEEK:

• Open Aquarium Hours at Orange Coast College

  Tuesday, 17 February

  2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
  Info

• Art + Play at OCMA Costa Mesa Ages 3-5 (Registration Required)

  Wednesday, 18 February

  11:00 am - 1:00 pm
  info

• Read to a Dog at Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library

  Wednesday, 18 February

  3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
  info

• Little Lido Storytime on the Lido Deck

  Thursday, 19 February

  10:00 am - 10:30 am
  Info

• Wild Tales Storytime, Hike, and Craft in Newport Beach (RSVP!)

  Friday, 20 February

  10:00 am - 11:00 am
  Info

Worth The Drive:

• Monarch Butterfly Habitat Workdays - Lantern Bay Park (Dana Point)
  Saturday Feb 28th
  9am-12pm
  Info

• Tiny Tots, Little Sprouts at the Ocean Institute - Dana Point
  Spring Session March 2nd-April 23rd
  Info

• Festival of Whales - Dana Point
  Saturday March 7th-8th
  10am-4pm
  Info

Plan Ahead:

• Repticon at OC Fair and Event Center

  Saturday, 21 February

  9:00 am - 4:00 pm
  Info

• FREE Mermaid Storytime at Once Upon and Island (Registration Required)

  Wednesday, 25 February

  10:30 am - 11:00 am
  RSVP

• Beach & River Cleanup in Newport Beach

  Saturday, 28 February

  9:00 am - 11:30 am
  Info

• Stem Workshop - Carters x Kiwi Co. (Tustin Market Place)
  Second Saturday of Every Month
  10am -12pm
  RSVP

• OC Uke Fest - Campus Jax
  Sunday Mar 22nd
  Info
  

Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor was nearly washed away in yesterday’s downpour.

PS: Feel free to let me know any feedback or inside scoops you have for the newsletter. Just reply to this email, I read every one. Thanks!